We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Baker-Bentley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think it takes availability, braveness, consistency, commitment, determination, dedication, discipline, effort, faith, faithful, mentorship and so much more to be successful. And a mindset to know that you can be successful. And you must always stay focus on your destination and believe that you will get there by any means necessary. Believe in and trust God and keep him first in all you do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

So when I was younger, oftentimes people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up, and I always said a Business Woman and a Cosmetologist. Well, one of my sisters and her best friend thought that was funny, but on today, God has blessed me with BOTH. And not knowing I would have MULTIPLE BUSINESSES. I’m a Master Cosmetologist/Hair Loss Practitioner, Christian Comedian, Cartoon Character Renter, Visionary Author, TV Host and TV Channel Network. So let’s take a look on how God did all this for lil oh me.

So growing up my mom would do my hair, but Lord knows I didn’t like how she did it. Lol. So when I would get to school, I would take it down and TRY to redo it my way. Lol. But that didn’t last long. So after I graduated High School, I went and got my Business Office Tech Certificate in 2000 and then went on to Cosmetology School in 2003. And I completed and graduated from both.

My cosmetology journey started in Warner Robins, GA in which where I went and graduated cosmetology school at. Well, I didn’t really have any interest in braiding or did I watch anybody braid hair but that is what God Gifted my hands to do. So one of my God sisters worked at the bank on the Air Force Base and different ladies would see her hair and ask who did it and she would tell them me. And that’s where my clientele began. She would give them my number and I started braided day and night. And my clientele continued to increase. Then I was blessed to work in two different salons to braid and style hair.

Well a couple of years after that I went through a transition/divorced and I had to move back to my hometown Fitzgerald, Ga. so then I had to REBUILD my clientele there. So I would do my mother’s hair and then ladies would see her hair and then she begins to bring me clients.

I also was blessed to work at Ocilla Housing Authority for a few years and also do hair on the side. And I prayed and prayed and prayed to God to BLESS ME WITH MY OWN SALON. And then God did just that. While working at the housing authority one of the maintenance men begin to tell me about his sister n law had a salon building that I possibly could work in. And to make a long story short. The salon building had been sitting up for a couple of years with no one in there. And I will BLESSED to get the building and start renting from 2013-2021. But in 2020, my landlord decided she wanted to sell the building and all I can say it was one of the most CHALLENGING but DETERMINED things, but I DIDN’T GIVE UP ON GETTING IT until I GOT IT.

– Denied TWICE from two different banks… BUT I DIDN’T GIVE UP
– Others came close to purchasing it… BUT I DIDN’T GIVE UP
– Aggravated, Frustrated, Sleepless Crying nights… BUT I DIDN’T GIVE UP

So June 2021, I became the business owner and building owner of my salon “The After Glow Salon and Spa” in Downtown Ocilla, Georgia… and I’m thankful I have some awesomeness loyal clients that keep me busy there.

Then in 2016, I became the founder of Jess~B Toons Edu~Tainment Cartoon Characters. In which I have about 8 Big Cartoon Characters where me and my team go out and perform at festivals, parades, birthday parties and etc.

Also in 2018, I became a comedian and my stage name is “Motha OldaMae”. Growing up I enjoyed doing skits at church but I didn’t think about pursuing it at all. Well, when God sent S-N-O-W to Ocilla, GA in January of 2018, I decided to do a live Facebook video. I dressed up as an old lady driving around looking for a man… a “Snow Man” that is (LOL)! And that video brought a lot of attention for me, from comments to shares and then to people asking me when I was going to do another video. So I did a few more videos. And from their live videos, people started contacting me to perform at different events. So, I had to come up with a stage name, and with the help of her family, we came up with Motha Oldamae (because of family history in which my mom called me Oldamae growing up, Lol). Then God started giving me ideas for my appearance and instead of a regular cane, God led me to use two plungers to connect together to make it a cane. This would become her Releasing Plunger Cane. The motto behind this is: If you have any spirits in you that have you STOPPED UP, STUCK UP OR TOO SAVED UP, you may need a releasing in your life. So at each event, Motha Oldmae is likely to PLUNGE somebody and give them a RELEASING. Laughter is just like medicine, it’s good for your soul and can Heal your soul. (Prov. 17:22)

NOT ONCE did I say BOOK ME OR CALL ME, but since then, the doors have been opening and people have been contacting me. And Since Jan. 2018-Until now and I have traveled all over GA and some parts of FL performing appeared on the radio, the word network and other TV platforms like Ruko, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.

Then in 2020, I became a Visionary Author of a book entitled “Single and Surviving”.

I’ve been married/divorced and now single and have four beautiful children through it all. And I never thought I would be in the single zone this long (about 12ish years lol) but anywho… when you LEARN to embrace, accept and be content in WHATEVER state GOD has you in, he will have you birth out things you NEVER thought you would…

I never thought I would put a BOOK TOGETHER… But God gave me the VISION for my book a few years ago and now my book is about two years old on being out on the market.

The vision was to reach out to different single Men and Women to get their TRUE STORIES and TRUE EXPERIENCE of a season in their life of what they went through while “SINGLE AND SURVIVING.” So It is based off my story and 25 other anonymous people’s stories. This POWERFUL book will encourage you to find hope, healing and happiness.

And in May of 2022 I was blessed to be interviewed by Mrs. Angela Kelly from the OCP TV Inspirational channel. And from there the producers were impressed of all my accomplishments and businesses and they asked me about starting my own show. So in July 2022 I decided to do just that, and I became the host of my TV show “Creatively Different with Jessica” For the OCP TV Inspirational Channel. And this Channel can be found on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Strimm and also our website at www.ocpitv.com

And my latest business is making hair clip-on piece units for people with short hair and that can’t afford to go to the hair salon every week. They are removable, reusable, and recyclable units that are low maintenance and easy to apply on and off.

I’m also a Minister, Evangelist, praise and worship leader and the coordinator of The Singles Ministry at my church Solid Rock of Praise Ministry in Ocilla, GA.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Well, I got pregnant right before I graduated in 1999 with my 1st daughter, Got married in 2005 and had two sons during my marriage and then, me and my husband started having problems in which we couldn’t seem to work out and he wanted a divorce, so I became disappointed, discouraged, and devastated with that process and before the divorced was Finalize I found myself pregnant AGAIN from another guy with my 4th child. So yes, I have four children with three baby daddies. In which I would never thought that would be. And I didn’t know how I was gone make it trying to work pursue my goals and dreams with all I was facing.

And I use to think I needed a man to do so but I realized I just needed THE MAN… The MAN JESUS and through it ALLLLLLLLL he has blessed me and is still blessings me to accomplish so many things by learning and depending on him.

I LOVESSSSSSSS ALLLLLLLLL my children dearly. Jasmine Baker, Patrick Bentley jr. Christopher Bentley and Ziyah Robinson they are all my pride and Joys.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Post about your business consistently. Post pictures and videos of your products, you using your products or clients or customers using your products. Keep your social media pages clean and positive. Post clean content. Positive quotes and positive vibes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jessicaspurpose.com
• Instagram: Jessica_Baker_Bentley
• Facebook: Jessica Baker-Bentley or Motha Oldamae or Jessica B Network
• Youtube: Jessica Bentley
• Other: TikTok: Jessicab481

Image Credits
Sarah Roberts: Peculiar people photography Angie AjAjay photography Damien Moss: DJM Photography Dj Spence: Djspence’s freestlyle and artistic photography